England v France

[An Tarbh]

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England v France</div>

Right it's Le Crunch but it's only France in with a chance of taking the ***le.

No longer do England have a championship to play for so it will be interesting to see do they adopt the same tactics of disrupting the opposition at all costs or will they try and be a little more creative.

France will again come into this match as favourites having disposed of Wales in Paris but yet again could we see France go missing having pulled off the big performance. You'd think not with a championship on the line, but I'm sure I've said that before and it still happen.

I wouldn't expect a classic match, none of England's have been, but they've been so intense and physical and that's what I'd expect to see again at Twickenham.

 

[Vambo]

Home win.

 

[An Tarbh]

I think France like Ireland will probably have too much for England and if Parra has the kicking boots on he did on Friday night then like yesterday's match it could be a lot closer, if Beauxis is back then there could be at least a score between the sides.

 

[elgringoborracho]

I would say home win too, although I hate it when we lose at Twickenham. But it would be so French to think now that we have beaten the Welsh the tournament is over.
I expect a particularly ugly match, the English will try to close the game as always against us, and will probably succeed in doing so, as our attack hasn't been that great since the beginning. As Tarbh said then, if Beauxis is back we can win this one the ugly way, if not we will lose 9 to 3 or something like that.

I hope to see Bastareaud again, he has the physicality we need against the likes of Tindall. But Lievremont said there would be changes from the team that beat the Welsh so we'll see

 

[Sir Speedy]

I'd love to see how England would cope with the intensity France brought to the game on Friday. Hopefully they show up and completely slaughter England.

That won't happen though. England will win by 10+...

 

[Meh]

I rarely say this but...Come on England.

 

[dullonien]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Meh @ Mar 1 2009, 01:40 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

I rarely say this but...Come on England.[/b]

Dunno, I was cheering England on v Ireland aswell. I'll be doing the same here, would take France out of the championship equasion.

 

[Meh]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (dullonien @ Mar 1 2009, 01:58 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Meh @ Mar 1 2009, 01:40 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I rarely say this but...Come on England.[/b]

Dunno, I was cheering England on v Ireland aswell. I'll be doing the same here, would take France out of the championship equasion.
[/b][/quote]

An England loss against Ireland pretty much took them out of the equation ***le-wise. I saw a one-point win as Ireland as perfect because they beat England without piling on the points which could be detrimental for us later on.

 

[An Tarbh]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (elgringoborracho @ Mar 1 2009, 01:11 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

I would say home win too, although I hate it when we lose at Twickenham. But it would be so French to think now that we have beaten the Welsh the tournament is over.
I expect a particularly ugly match, the English will try to close the game as always against us, and will probably succeed in doing so, as our attack hasn't been that great since the beginning. As Tarbh said then, if Beauxis is back we can win this one the ugly way, if not we will lose 9 to 3 or something like that.

I hope to see Bastareaud again, he has the physicality we need against the likes of Tindall. But Lievremont said there would be changes from the team that beat the Welsh so we'll see[/b]

well hopefully Bastareaud won't be one of them, would be quite a sight to see him making mincemeat of Tindall or Flutey.

 

[Vambo]

Bastareaud is probably my fave French player. Love watching him

 

[An Tarbh]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Vambo @ Mar 1 2009, 05:42 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Bastareaud is probably my fave French player. Love watching him [/b]

will you be saying that in 2 weeks time

 

[MunsterMan]

Who is the referee for this one? If France don't completely implode and England are reffed fairly can't look past an away win.

 

[An Tarbh]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (MunsterMan @ Mar 1 2009, 06:32 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Who is the referee for this one? If France don't completely implode and England are reffed fairly can't look past an away win.[/b]

so much for a proper referee it's Dickheadson in charge of this one.

 

[Count of Devonshire]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (An Tarbh @ Mar 1 2009, 03:40 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

well hopefully Bastareaud won't be one of them, would be quite a sight to see him making mincemeat of Tindall[/b]

"making mincemeat of Tindall".


Another gruelling battle in store, another tight finish in prospect. Either side by 5.

Any sin-binners to be deported to the colonies.

 

[elgringoborracho]

I just read Rougerie and Yachvili could be back. Rougerie is on good form at the moment, it would be fair to give him a chance. But I really don't see why we would need Yachvili... Maybe for his boot, or the bad memories for the English ?...

 

[Charles]

Please no...Yachvili is nowhere near international form atm and Rougerie doesn't even come close to Malzieu in terms of steps,offloading and making the play continue...

 

[gingergenius]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Sir. Speedy @ Mar 1 2009, 01:07 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

I'd love to see how England would cope with the intensity France brought to the game on Friday. Hopefully they show up and completely slaughter England.

That won't happen though. England will win by 10+...[/b]

You've hit the nail on the head. If France show up they beat anyone. If they half show up, the match will be a cracker. If they don't show up at all, they'll lose.

And unlike other teams, you never can tell on form. They're a better side in almost every department... (arguably every.)

But England have a history of upsetting them. We'll play the same spoiling game we've played over the last 2 matches and, in terms of excecution of that gameplan, we've been 80% there. I know we weren't the better team against Ireland or Wales but I don't think anyone could say we wouldn't have earned it had we snuck a win in either of those games.

I'm going, looking forward to a cracker, and a repeat of 2 years ago when we blitzed the French at Twickers against the odds and the atmosphere in the bars afterwards was great. Unfortunately this one's on a Sunday...

 

[shazbooger]

France based their win over Wales on the back of a forward performance that came as close to demolishing Wales as any team have done in the past two years. On the back of the hammering they had taken from the French press the likes of Nallet put in storming performances. While I think they will be there or there abouts, I dont see them dominating the English in the same way (They wont bring that raw anger to Twickers).

However, England dont have the players out wide to break the French down and if they kick the ball away as aimlessly as they did against Ireland you have to see the French making a few line breaks, which they can be lethal at finishing. The French backrow should have the upper hand (Harry-Nordi-Whatsit has been my player of the tournament so far) and if Mas is still fit and selected they should cause enough problems to unsettle the English front 5. I'd give France the edge pretty much all over the park, but only a slight edge and thats without seeing what second row Lievremont is going to play at 10.

It'll be close but you have to put the French in as slight favourites on the back of their counter attacking options. Home advantage could help with the refereee and is usually worth a couple of points. France to win by 2-4 points.

 

[Prestwick]

If Johnson selects the same XV for Le Crunch, we'll lose.

End of discussion, shall I lock the thread until match day?

 

[Tehsniper]

Elgringo, Rougerie as a replacement could be a good impact player, but Malzieu is in better form I reckon. Le crunch is going to be so awesomeeee